1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to comestible processing, and in particular to a system and method of processing comestible materials such as beans, lentils and legumes into quick-cooking and instant products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Leguminous food materials, such as beans, peas and lentils, are an important food source. Many of these materials are consumed whole, but require substantial preparation time for cooking, soaking, etc. Legumes are commonly cooked under pressure, as disclosed in the Sterner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,816 for Dehydrated Refried Bean Product and Methods of Manufacture.
Comestible leguminous products are also commonly processed into flakes, flour, mixes, etc. However, typical problems with previous systems and methods for processing leguminous comestibles include relatively high levels of energy consumption, controlling microbiological activity (e.g., bacteria, spores, mold, fungus, etc.) which can limit shelf life, and preserving taste, mouth feel, and flavor.
Heretofore, there has not been available a system or method for processing leguminous comestibles with the advantages nd features of the present invention, which addresses the aforementioned considerations.